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THE 


■  ••  CHRISTIAN  EXAMINEE 


RELIGIOUS  MISCELLANY. 


VOLUME    XL. 


FOURTH    SERIES,   VOLUME    V. 


JANUARY,  MARCH,  MAY,  1846. 


\ 


BOSTON: 
PUBLISHED    BY    WILLIAM    CROSBY 

NEW    YORK :    C.    S.    FRANCIS  &    CO. 
LONDON :    CHAPMAN,  BROTHERS,  121  NEWGATE  ST. 

1846. 


PRINTED    BY    ANDREWS    AND    PRENTISS, 
DEVONSHIRE    STREET. 


CONTENTS 


Article  Page 

I. — Saint  Augustine  and  his  Times,         -         ...       1 

1.  Histoire  de  Saint  Augustin,  Sa  Vie,  Ses  (Euvres, 
Son  Siecle,  Influence  de  Son  Genie.  Par  M. 
Poujoulat. 

2.  A  Library  of  Fathers  of  the  Holy  Catholic  Church, 
anterior  to  the  Division  of  the  East  and  West. 
Translated  by  Members  of  the  English  Church. 

3.  Ancient  Christianity  and  the  Doctrines  of  the  Ox- 
ford Tracts  for  the  Times.  By  the  Author  of 
"  Spiritual  Despotism." 

•41. — Rev.  John  Andrews,  D.  D. 24 
III.— New  Hymn  Books. 29 
1.  Christian  Hymns  for  Public  and  Private  Worship. 
A   Collection   compiled  by  a  Committee  of  the 
Cheshire  Pastoral  Association. 

2.  A  Collection  of  Psalms  and  Hymns  for  the  Sanct- 
uary. 

3.  A  Collection  of  Psalms  and  Hymns  for  Social  and 
Private  Worship. 

4.  Hymns  for  Public  Worship. 

5.  A  Manual  of  Prayer,  for  Public  and  Private  Wor- 
ship, with  a  Collection  of  Hymns. 

6.  The  Psalmist;  A  New  Collection  of  Hymns  for 
the  use  of  the  Baptist  Churches.  By  Baron  Stowe 
and  S.  F.  Smith. 

7.  Psalms  and  Hymns,  for  Christian  Use  and  Wor- 
ship ;  prepared  and  set  forth  by  the  General  As- 
sociation of  Connecticut. 

8  Christian  Psalmist ;  or  Psalms  and  Hymns,  for 
the  Public,  Social,  and  Private  Use  of  Evangelical 
Christians. 
9.  Hymns  and  Anthems. 

IV. — Duty  of  American  Wtomen,     -----  47 

The  Duty  of  American  Women  to  their  Country. 

V. — On  Christian  Union,         ------  56 

VI. — Stuart  on  the  Old  Testament,      -  69 

Critical  History  and  Defence  of  the  Old  Testament 
Canon.     By  M.  Stuart. 
VII. — Christianity  Without  Christ.        --.-.-  77 

VJLU. — Life  and  Character  of  Dr.  Ware.         -  94 

A  Discourse  on  the  Life  and  Character  of  the  Rev. 
Henry  Ware,  D.  D.,  A.  A.  S.,  late  Hollis  Professor 
of  Divinity  in  the  University  of  Cambridge.  By 
John  G.  Palfrey,  D.  D.  LL.  D. 

IX. — Plato  against  the  Atheists,  -  108 

Plato  contra  Atheos.  Plato  against  the  Atheists ; 
or,  the  Tenth  Book  of  the  Dialogue  on  Laws,  ac- 
companied with  Critical  Notes,  etc.  By  Tayler 
Lewis,  LL.  D. 


11  CONTENTS. 

Article  Page 

X. — Prisons  and  Prison  Discipline,      -        -        -        -         122 

1.  Remarks  on  Prisons  and  Prison  Discipline  in  the 
United  States.     By  D.  L.  Dix. 

2.  Nineteenth  Annual  Report  of  the  Prison  Disci- 
pline Society. 

3.  Prisons  and  Prisoners.     By  Joseph  Adshead. 

4.  Report  on  the  Construction,  Ventilation  and  De- 
tails of  the  Pentonville  Prison. 

5.  Revue  Penitentiaire  et  des  Institutions  Prevent- 
ives, sous  la  Direction  de  M.  Moreau-Christophe. 

6.  Du  Projet  de  Loi  sur  la  Reforme  des  Prisons. 
Par  Leon  Paucher. 

7.  Considerations  sur  la  Reclusion  Individuelle  des 
Detenus.     Par  W.  II.  Suringar. 

8.  Nordamerikas  Sittliche  Sustande.  Von  Dr.  N.  S. 
Julius. 

9.  Archiv  des  Criminalrechts,  herausgegeben  von 
den  Professoren  Ahogg,  etc. 

Note  to  Article  IV.     Service  Book  for  the  Church  of  the 

Saviour. 
Notices  of  Recent  Publications. 

Arnold's  Lectures  on  Modern  History,     -  140 

Hackett's  Translation  of  Winer's  Grammar  of  the 

Chaldee  Language,      ------         141 

Edmond's  Broken  Vow  and  other  Poems, — Hoyt's 

Chaunt  of  Life  and  other  Poems,  -  143 

Prescott's  Biographical  and  Critical  Miscellanies, — 

Everett's  Critical  and  Miscellaneous  Essays,         -         144 
Warren's  Physical  Education,         -  144 

Baldwin's  Universal  Pronouncing  Gazetteer,  -         145 

Easy  Lessons  on  Reasoning,  -  145 

The*  Book  of  Peace, 146 

Poetry  for  Home  and  School,  Part  II.,     -  146 

Sparks's  Library  of  American  Biography,  Vol.  VII,  147 

Sherwin's  Common  School  Algebra,       -  147 

Unitarian  Annual  Register  for  1846, — Housekeeper's 

Annual  and  Ladies'  Register  for  1846,  -         -         148 

Bird's  Singer's  Text  Book, 148 

Martineau's  Discourse  on  Bible  and  Child, — Hall's 
Discourse  before  Children's  Friends'  Society, — 
Stearns's  Sermon  on  Texas  Question. — Ingersoll's 
Sermon  on  Home, — Furncss's  Thanksgiving  Ser- 
mon,— Gannett's  Sermon  on  Peace  ; — Remarks  on 
Sumner's  Oration, — Stone's  Address  before  Essex 
Agricultural  Society, — Lincoln's  Address  before 
Mechanic  Association, — Winthrop's  Address  be- 
fore Mercantile  Library  Association, —  Water- 
ston's  Poem,  (before  same,) — Eliot's  Address  be- 
fore American  Institute  of  City  of  New  York,  -  148 
Intelligence. 

Religious  Intelligence. — Ecclesiastical  Record, — New 
York  Convention,  —  Sunday  School  Convention, 
— Ordinations  and  Installations, — Dedications, — 

Clerical  Protest, 151 

Notice,        ----- 160 


THE 


CHRISTIAN  EXAMINEE 

AND 

RELIGIOUS   MISCELLANY. 


JANUARY,     1846. 


Art.  I.  — SAINT  AUGUSTINE  AND  HIS  TIMES.* 

Bustling  and  utilitarian  as  our  age  is  generally  called, 
it  cannot  reasonably  be  accused  of  slighting  the  lessons  of 
the  past  or  despising  the  names  of  the  good  and  great  of 
former  times.  Indeed,  the  very  ardor  with  which  we  are 
urged  to  join  in  the  bold  enterprises  and  sanguine  move- 
ments of  the  day  has  led  many  to  take  an  opposite  turn, 
and  seek  in  the  study  of  antiquity  a  quiet  and  a  wisdom 
which  they  find  not  in  the  restless  tumult  around  them. 
They  meet  with  more  to  soothe  and  edify  them  in  the 
Greek  and  Roman  classics  or  the  Christian  Fathers,  the 
wisdom  of  Indian  sages  or  Egyptian  priests,  than  in  the 

*  1 .  Histoirc  de  Saint  Augustin,  Sa  Vie,  Ses  (Euvres,  Son  Sicclc,  Influ- 
ence de  Son  Genie.  Par  M.  Poujoulat.  Paris.  1845.  (History  of 
Saint  Augustine,  his  Life,  his  Works,  his  Age,  the  Influence  of  his  Ge- 
nius.    By  M.  Poujoulat.J     Three  Vols.    8vo. 

2.  A  Library  of  Fathers  of  the  Holy  Catholic  Church,  Anterior  to  the 
Division  of  the  East  and  West.  Translated  by  Members  of  the  English 
Church.     Oxford.     1840—45.     Vols.  I— XX.     8vo. 

3.  Ancient  Christianity  and  the  Doctrines  of  the  Oxford  Tracts  for  the 
Times.  By  the  Author  of  "  Spiritual  Despotism."  Fourth  Edition, 
with  Supplement,  Index  and  Tables.    London.     1844.    Two  Vols.     8vo. 

VOL  XL. 4TH  S.  VOL.  V.  NO.  I.  1 


2  Saint  Augustine  and  his  Times.  [Jan. 

pages  of  political  newspapers  or  reform  magazines,  the 
visions  of  financial  schemers  or  the  disputes  of  sectarian 
divines. 

While  we  are  receiving  from  the  principal  nations  of 
Europe  every  school  of  new  philosophy  and  every  project 
of  social  innovation,  we  are  assured  from  the  same  quarters 
by  other  voices,  that  all  philosophy  is  a  sin  against  faith  and 
all  innovation  is  a  rebellion  against  authority.  France 
gives  us  Fourier  with  his  promised  millennium  of  indus- 
trial association,  and  De  Maistre  with  his  eulogies  of  the 
dark  ages  and  his  predictions  of  the  return  of  Papal 
dominion.  From  Germany  the  reverent  voices  of  Adam 
Moehler  and  Frederick  Schlegel  have  entreated  us  not  to 
listen  to  the  war-notes  of  Frederick  Strauss  and  Henry 
Heine,  nor  prefer  to  the  ancient  Church  with  its  literature 
of  faith,  modern  rationalism  with  its  literature  of  the  senses 
and  understanding.  England,  too,  our  own  England,  sends 
forth  antagonist  influences  quite  as  various.  Robert  Owen 
comes  to  teach  us  his  plans  of  socialism,  and  Dr.  Wiseman 
writes  to  win  us  back  to  the  Roman  Church.  Carlvle  calls 
the  Pope  a  miserable  chimera,  and  Kenelm  Digby  lauds  the 
Papal  ages,  as  the  "  ages  of  faith."  With  one  hand  our 
mother  country  gives  us  railroads,  and  bids  us  by  her  exam- 
ple traverse  the  ends  of  the  earth  ;  with  the  other  she  holds 
out  to  us  the  Oxford  Tracts,  and  insists  upon  quietude, 
fasting  and  prayer  as  the  path  of  peace  and  the  way  of  life. 
As  a  people  we  are  ready  to  welcome  every  form  of  foreign 
influence,  and,  whether  moved  by  imitation  or  our  own 
dispositions,  are  beginning  to  exhibit  on  a  large  scale  the 
antagonist  tendencies  of  which  we  have  spoken.  We  are 
carrying  out  democratic  theories,  and  giving  full  scope  to 
priestly  domination  ;  we  are  establishing  Fourierite  commu- 
nities, and  building  stately  cathedrals  ;  we  are  engaging  in 
earnest  enterprises  of  business  and  reform,  that  agitate  the 
soul,  and  encouraging  music,  painting,  sculpture,  gardening, 
and  the  arts,  that  soothe  the  soul.  We  are  erecting  fine 
houses  as  if  we  were  to  live  forever,  and  laying  out  beauti- 
ful cemeteries  as  if  it  were  no  great  ill  to  die.  From  some 
traits  of  our  character  it  would  seem  as  if  David  Crockett 
with  his  noted  adage  embodied  our  national  genius,  while 
in  other  traits  we  show  some  kindred  with  Old  Mortality 
and  his  love  of  wandering  among  the  graves. 


f^DEC    5   1932^ 

1846.]  New  Hymn  Books.  Y^  29  * 

Art.  m.  — NEW  HYMN  BOOKS.* 

This  large  array  of  Hymn  Books,  most  of  them  very 
recent,  and  some  just  from  the  press,  certainly  indicate  an 
unusual  attention  to  one  of  the  most  popular  departments 
of  sacred  literature,  and  one  of  the  most  interesting  helps 
of  social  worship.  We  must  admit  that  it  indicates  some- 
thing more,  —  a  want  of  perfect  satisfaction  with  any  Collec- 
tions heretofore  in  use.  In  both  these  respects  it  reminds 
us  of  the  Collections  of  church  music,  which  have  lately 
been  multiplied  in  a  corresponding  manner,  to  meet  new 
wants  in  our  religious  congregations.  With  respect  to 
these  latter,  however,  we  cannot  but  suspect  that  the  inter- 
ests and  peculiar  tastes  of  the  compilers  have  had  at  least 
as  much  influence  in  promoting  the  enterprise,  as  any 
wishes  of  the  people.  We  cannot  help  looking  with  some 
mistrust  on  rapid  successions  of  works  of  psalmody  from 
precisely  the  same  hands,  and  feeling  that  the  spirit  of 
fickleness  or  of  trade  may  have  had  too  great  a  share  in 
them.     It  is  true,  that  some  excellent  new  tunes  are  thus 

*  1.  Christia?i  Hymns  for  Public  and  Private  Worship.  A  Collection 
compiled  by  a  Committee  of  the  Cheshire  Pastoral  Association. 
Boston  :  Crosby  &  Nichols.     1845.     l6mo.     pp.  454. 

2.  A  Collection  of  Psalms  and  Hymns  for  the  Sanctuary.  Boston:  J. 
Munroe  &  Co.     1845.     12mo.     pp.  586. 

3.  A  Collection  of  Psalms  and  Hymns  for  Social  and  Private  Worship. 
Revised  Edition.  With  Supplement.  New  York :  C.  S.  Francis  &  Co. 
1845.     12mo.     pp.  520. 

4.  Hymns  for  Public  Worship.  Boston:  Andrews,  Prentiss  &  Studley. 
1845.     16mo.     pp.  416. 

5.  A  Manual  of  Prayer,  for  Public  and  Private  Worship,  with  a  Col- 
lection of  Hymns.  Second  Edition.  Boston:  J.  Munroe  &  Co.  1845. 
12mo.     pp.  394. 

6.  The  Psalmist:  A  new  Collection  of  Hymns  for  the  use  of  the  Baptist 
Churches.  By  Baron  Stow  and  S.  F.  Smith.  Boston  :  Gould,  Ken- 
dall &  Lincoln.     1845.     16mo.     pp.  7s4. 

7.  Psalms  and  Hymns,  for  Christian  Use  and  Worship;  prepared  and 
set  forth  by  the  General  Association  of  Connecticut.  New  Haven  : 
Durrie  &  Peck.     1845.     16mo.     pp.  720. 

8.  Church  Psalmist :  or  Psalms  and  Hymns,  for  the  Public,  Social,  and 
Private  Use  of  Evangelical  Christians.  Fifth  Edition.  New  York: 
Mark  H.  Newman.     1845.     16mo.     pp.  653. 

9.  Hymns  and  Anthems.     London:  1841.     16mo.     pp.120. 

3* 


30  New  Hymn  Books.  [Jan. 

added  to  the  common  stock  ;  and  what  is  still  better,  some 
fine  old  cathedral  strains  have  been  awakened  from  their 
long  silence  to  inspire  the  devotions  of  modern  assemblies. 
It  is  true,  also,  that  some  varieties  of  measure  and  tone 
unknown  to  former  choirs  were  needed,  to  bring  into  vocal 
expression  the  fresh  stores  of  sacred  poetry,  and  to  match 
with  the  demands  that  the  prevailing  use  of  the  organ  has 
introduced  into  our  churches.  We  do  not  say  that  great 
improvements  have  not  been  made  in  this  branch  of  a 
divine  art,  by  what  has  been  lately  and  so  abundantly  pub- 
lished. We  believe  that  there  have.  At  the  same  time, 
we  have  found  something  confounding  in  the  accumulation 
of  books  of  this  description.  We  have  watched  with  no 
little  uneasiness  the  capricious  changes  that  they  have 
encouraged.  We  have  seen  the  evils  that  altered  harmo- 
nies, changes  uncalled  for,  different  pieces  under  the  same 
names,  and  the  distractions  of  an  almost  endless  variety, 
can  hardly  fail  to  produce.  This  will  not  seem  a  long 
digression  from  the  subject  we  have  taken  in  hand,  or 
indeed  hardly  a  digression  at  all,  if  we  consider  the  inti- 
mate relation  that  exists  between  the  words  of  a  hymn,  and 
its  musical  effect  in  the  tune  that  has  to  be  adapted  to  it. 
We  ought  to  remember,  what  the  compilers  of  hymn  books 
are  very  apt  to  forget,  that  a  hymn  is  not  a  copy  of  irregu- 
lar lines,  that  may  be  clogged  with  consonants,  or  broken 
up  with  pauses,  or  stifled  with  syllables  but  half  vocal,  or 
set  on  with  uneven  feet,  according  to  the  writer's  pleasure. 
It  is  not  written  to  be  read  alone,  and  by  the  eye  merely, 
or  to  be  declaimed  with  the  freedom  of  rhetoric.  It  is  a  me- 
lodious composition,  that  should  almost  sing  itself;  confined 
within  rhythmical  laws  of  its  own,  and  to  be  chorally  rep- 
resented. The  old  masters  of  holy  verse  were  more  atten- 
tive to  this  important  point  than  their  successors  have  for 
the  most  part  been. 

But  let  us  return  to  the  class  of  books  more  directly 
under  our  review  ;  especially  to  those  examples  of  it,  which 
we  have  placed  at  the  head  of  this  article,  and  thus  bound 
ourselves  to  give  at  least  some  imperfect  account  of.  On 
surveying  their  number,  our  first  impulse  was  to  be  glad 
that  so  much  attention  had  been  given  to  the  good  work, 
and  that  so  many  differing  voices  had  been  called  out  to 
praise  God  and  Christ.     There  is  no  danger,  no  objection 


1846.]  Multiplication  of  Hymn  Books.  31 

here,  of  the  kind  just  mentioned.  Each  hymn  book  stands 
single  in  the  society  that  has  adopted  it,  undisturbed  by 
any  divisions  or  discords.  It  is  almost  sure  to  remain  long 
enough  to  secure  the  attachment  of  those  to  whom  it  has 
grown  familiar.  It  is  not  likely,  at  least  at  the  present 
time,  to  be  an  object  of  pecuniary  speculation,  or  to  be 
touched  by  any  but  the  highest  motives.  The  most  suc- 
cessful compiler  can  scarcely  expect  that  his  labors  will 
travel  far  beyond  those  for  whose  benefit  they  were  pre- 
pared. Our  congregations  are  generally  slow  to  encourage 
changes.  Economy,  as  well  as  habit  and  revering  associa- 
tions, will  tend  to  keep  them  in  the  use  of  what  is  already 
in  their  possession.  Nevertheless,  circumstances  are  con- 
tinually arising  that  make  innovations  desirable.  Hymn 
books  will  fall  out  of  print,  as  they  insensibly  decline 
from  the  estimation  in  which  they  were  at  first  held.  New 
societies  are  forming,  that  have  only  to  select  the  one  that 
shall  recommend  itself  the  best  to  their  preference.  Dif- 
ferent religious  views,  and  not  only  these,  but  different  im- 
pressions of  the  sentiment  that  a  hymn  should  most  suitably 
convey,  will  lead  to  a  choice  in  conformity  to  them.  There 
can  be  no  doubt,  moreover,  that  improvement  will  follow 
in  the  train  of  successive  attempts.  Better  arrangements 
may  take  the  place  of  those  that  now  seem  good  enough. 
A  richer  copiousness  or  a  more  perfect  selectness  may  be 
exhibited  than  has  ever  been  yet.  Some  pieces,  even,  of 
the  elder  day  may  be  presented  with  more  force  and  beauty, 
while  constant  accessions  of  devout  strains,  from  that  foun- 
tain of  the  spirit  which  is  always  flowing,  will  pour  their 
tribute  into  future  repositories  and  perhaps  constitute  their 
chief  glory.  We  believe  in  progress.  The  best  has  not 
come,  and  we  shall  never  see  it  come.  Meanwhile,  let  us 
receive  with  courtesy  every  candidate  for  so  holy  an  office 
as  that  of  leading  this  part  of  our  devotions,  examine  his 
claims  with  candor  and  discernment,  and  neither  think 
that  the  work  requires  to  be  hurried  nor  that  it  can  ever  be 
done. 

With  these  views,  we  rejoiced,  as  we  have  said,  to  see 
so  large  a  company  coming  forward,  bringing  the  results  of 
their  industry  and  taste  to  a  good  cause,  and  into  fair  com- 
petition for  public  favor.  We  do  not  know  that  this  grati- 
fication has  been  materially  abated  by  an  examination  of 


32  New  Hymn  Books.  [Jan. 

the  works  themselves.  They  all  have  merit,  and  each  one 
has  some  point  of  advantage  which  it  is  entitled  to  claim  as 
peculiarly  its  own.  We  were  occasionally  inclined,  indeed, 
to  raise  a  question,  whether  this  were  a  well-chosen  time 
to  multiply  Hymn  Books  to  such  an  extent,  when  Dr. 
Bowring  is  so  busy,  and  Mr.  Montgomery,  though  he  has 
written  several  pieces  that  are  eminently  good,  is  enjoying 
a  degree  of  reputation  which  we  do  not  think  he  will  per- 
manently retain.  This  objection,  however,  seemed  to 
press  with  less  weight,  as  we  thought  to  make  it  of  very 
serious  importance.  Another  preliminary  question  crossed 
our  minds  from  the  circumstance,  that  but  a  short  time  has 
elapsed  since  the  publication  of  the  "  Christian  Psalter,"  of 
which  an  extended  and  most  favorable  notice  appeared  in 
the  Monthly  Miscellany  so  lately  as  March,  1842.  But 
we  considered  the  difficulty,  if  not  impossibility,  of  satisfy- 
ing all  with  the  same  performance.  We  considered  the 
manifold  wants  of  different  congregations.  It  ought  also 
to  be  taken  into  account,  that  many  of  our  societies  have 
become  attached  to  the  Collections  that  they  have  had  long 
in  use,  and  prefer  making  them  the  basis  of  an  enlarged 
edition,  to  introducing  an  entirely  new  work.  This  cause 
will  be  seen  to  have  contributed  to  make  the  number  here 
before  us  so  large  as  it  is.  Nor  had  it  been  inactive  before, 
as  one  or  two  remarkable  instances  remind  us.  This  was 
the  case  with  the  excellent  though  disjointed  Collection 
used  by  the  Church  in  Brattle  Square,  which  bears  upon  it 
the  labors,  though  not  the  names,  of  two  distinguished 
pastors,  Buckminster  and  Palfrey,  and  of  which  the  second 
edition  was  issued  only  ten  years  ago.  It  is  true  also  of 
the  very  inferior  one  —  as  we  are  compelled  to  regard  it  — 
of  the  West  Church,  which  appeared  in  1823. 

Having  thus  alluded  to  former  endeavors,  we  hope  not 
to  be  thought  tedious  nor  to  speak  irrelevantly,  if  we  review 
a  little  what  has  been  otherwise  done  by  our  denomination 
in  this  department.  Fifty  years  ago,  an  insensible  change 
of  religious  views  had  rendered  offensive  many  of  the  doc- 
trinal expressions  that  abound  in  the  writings  of  Dr.  Watts, 
some  of  which  he  would  not  himself  have  consented  to 
utter  in  the  latter  part  of  his  life.  Dr.  Belknap,  aided 
silently  by  Dr.  Clarke,  then  published  his  "  Sacred  Poetry," 
which   was  received   with  great   approbation  and  widely 


1846.]  Former  Hymn  Books.  33 

circulated.  With  the  power  of  its  miscellaneous  novelty, 
it  displaced,  though  not  so  rapidly  as  we  should  have  sup- 
posed, the  strong  work  of  that  one  master-hand.  In  1812 
a  small  supplement  of  twenty-eight  hymns  was  added  to  it, 
without  increasing  in  any  considerable  degree  its  usefulness, 
and  in  this  form  it  continued  unchanged,  though  often 
reprinted.  The  book  had,  however,  several  grave  and 
essential  faults,  some  of  which  were  pointed  out  with  a 
sharp  criticism  in  the  Christian  Disciple  of  1821,  by  the 
compiler,  as  we  believe,  of  one  of  the  works  now  brought 
under  our  notice.  About  that  time,  appeared  the  New 
York  and  Anddver  Collections,  which  were  both  reviewed 
together  in  the  same  volume  of  the  Disciple  that  has  just 
been  named.  The  first  of  these,  though  executed  with 
taste  and  ability,  did  not  spread  itself  very  extensively 
beyond  the  church  for  whose  benefit  it  was  originally 
designed.  The  second,  Mr.  Dabney's,  if  it  did  not  win 
more  praise,  found  more  acceptance.  In  its  original  form, 
and  afterwards  in  an  enlarged  and  improved  one,  it  made 
its  way  pretty  successfully  among  our  congregations,  where 
it  still  maintains  a  place.  Nevertheless,  there  was  nothing 
as  yet  to  take  the  stand  of  favor,  from  which  Belknap's 
Collection  had  irretrievably  fallen.  In  this  state  of  things, 
Dr.  Greenwood  of  King's  Chapel  came  forward  to  supply 
an  acknowledged  deficiency,  and  in  1830  published  his 
i£  Psalms  and  Hymns  for  Christian  Worship."  The  book 
attained  at  once  to  an  extraordinary  success,  that  was  owing 
both  to  its  real  merit  and  to  the  beautiful  fame  of  its  author. 
When  it  came  to  the  sixteenth  edition,  it  was  amended  by 
a  supplement  and  by  the  substitution  of  a  few  hymns  for 
others,  no  further  changes  being  contemplated,  and  we  see 
it  now  arrived  at  its  forty-first  edition,  and  introduced  into 
the  service  of  more  than  seventy  worshipping  assemblies. 
This  was  certainly  a  great  deal  to  accomplish.  But  there 
did  not  long  remain  a  perfect  content.  Choirs  complained 
that  too  many  of  the  pieces  could  not  be  easily  presented 
with  good  musical  expression  ;  and  preachers  thought  that 
they  discovered  after  a  time  some  lack  of  variety  in  the 
topics,  and  some  difficulty  in  finding  such  as  would  corres- 
pond to  the  sentiment  of  their  discourses.  Thus  it  came 
to  be  supposed  by  many,  that  the  book  was  rather  a  rich 
and  tasteful  repository  of  sacred  verse,  than  adapted  to  the 


34  New  Hymn  Books.  [J 


AN. 


popular  want  and  to  constant  use.  These  alleged  defects  we 
do  not  conceive  to  be  altogether  imaginary.  We  are  dis- 
posed to  ascribe  to  them,  more  than  to  any  other  cause, 
the  great  disposition  that  has  been  shown  to  try  for  some- 
thing better.  We  ought  not  forget,  meanwhile,  to  men- 
tion two  other  works  that  were  nearly  contemporary  with 
this, — Dr.  Willard's  "  Hymns,"  and  the  Springfield  Collec- 
tion. In  the  first  of  these,  which  was  printed  in  the  same 
year,  the  venerable  author  was  so  governed  by  his  favorite 
idea  of  producing  "  an  invariable  coincidence  between  the 
poetic  and  the  musical  emphases,"  as  to  sacrifice  to  it 
almost  everything  else,  and  leave  but  little  emphasis  to  the 
poetry.  The  other,  the  faithful  labor  of  an  accomplished 
mind,  committed  a  great  error,  as  it  always  seemed  to  us, 
in  the  unlimited  freedom  which  it  allowed  itself  of  altering 
at  pleasure  its  originals.  The  "  Christian  Psalter  "  of  Mr. 
Lunt  may  be  regarded  as  the  first  attempt  to  meet  what 
seemed  to  be  a  new  want.  He  adopted  the  improvements 
that  had  been  introduced  by  his  predecessors.  He 
adhered  scrupulously  to  the  language  of  the  writers  from 
whom  he  borrowed,  restoring  it  as  far  as  possible  where  it 
had  suffered  changes.  He  presented  a  tabular  reference 
to  the  Book  of  Psalms  on  a  single  page,  instead  of  breaking 
up  the  unity  of  the  whole,  and  disturbing  the  arrangement 
of  the  parts,  by  the  needless  division  into  psalms  and 
hymns.  This  was  formerly  the  universal  custom,  and  is 
retained  by  two  of  the  three  performances  not  of  our  de- 
nomination, of  which  the  titles  are  annexed,  —  that  of  the 
General  Association  of  Connecticut,  and  that  "  for  the  use 
of  Evangelical  Christians."  His  method  is  the  most  per- 
fect that  we  have  anywhere  seen,  simple  but  yet  ingenious, 
novel  but  natural  at  the  same  time,  enabling  us  to  turn  at 
once  to  the  subject  we  are  seeking.  His  judgment  has  led 
him  to  prefer  the  bold  strains  and  strong  Scriptural  imagery 
of  the  early  masters  in  the  art,  to  the  flow,  if  more  graceful, 
of  modern  numbers.  We  are  inclined  to  think  that  this 
has  given  to  the  "  Psalter"  an  antique  air,  which,  while  it  is 
admired  by  some,  fails  to  commend  itself  to  the  choice  of 
others.  Hence  in  part  that  anxiety  to  provide  further 
means,  which  is  indicated  plainly  enough  by  the  occasion 
of  this  article. 

And  this  leads  us  to  a  general  remark,  that  may  as  well 


1846.]  Old  Hymns.  35 

be  made  now.  In  the  latest  of  the  Collections  that  have 
been  prepared  for  those  churches  with  which  we  are  asso- 
ciated, we  have  been  struck  with  the  comparatively  small 
number  of  old  hymns.  Mr.  Ellis's,  for  instance,  has  but 
110  from  Watts,  and  60  from  Doddridge;  and  that  of  the 
Cheshire  Pastoral  Association,  with  908  pieces,  has  adopted 
only  119  from  Watts  and  47  from  Doddridge;  while  the 
"  Psalter  "  contains  264  from  the  chief  of  that  famous  duum- 
virate, and  105  from  the  other.  This  fact  of  itself  displays 
a  tendency,  much  increased  of  late,  not  only  to  welcome 
worthy  new-comers,  which  should  by  all  means  be  done, 
but  to  make  less  account  of  ancient  friends;  —  to  change 
indeed  the  general  character  of  our  church  poetry.  This 
may  be  best,  but  there  will  be  many  who  cannot  think  so, 
and  to  whom  there  is  an  inexpressible  charm  in  the  finest 
specimens  of  what  has  been  the  longest  familiar.  An 
honored  antiquity  carries  something  of  a  title  in  its  own 
right,  especially  in  matters  of  this  kind.  It  can  make 
quaint  words  reverend,  and  animate  common  words  with  a 
power  beyond  themselves.  This  is  shown  by  frequent 
experience.  No  doubt  the  hearts  of  the  followers  of  the 
new  reformer,  John  Ronge,  are  cheered  beyond  measure, 
when  they  intonate  the  46th  psalm  in  Father  Luther's 
version.  The  mere  student  may  feel  the  force  of  the  same 
or  a  like  principle,  in  going  back  to  the  Latin  hymns  of  the 
middle  ages.  The  clang  of  the  old  monkish  rhymes  sounds 
in  his  imagination  like  the  bells  from  some  gray  abbey  or 
cathedral  tower.     In  three  short  lines, 

"  Lignum  crucis, 
Signum  ducis, 
Sequitur  exercitus," 

he  hears  the  whole  history  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ  and 
the  glory  that  followed.  He  connects  in  his  mind,  and 
with  some  reason  too,  such  unpolished  strains  with  the 
wonders  of  sculpture  and  painting  that  seemed  to  imitate 
their  spirit.  Who  can  tell  what  influence  the  "  Dies  irae  " 
may  have  actually  exerted  on  Michael  Angelo's  famous 
fresco  of  the  Last  Judgment  ?  Of  how  many  a  Madonna 
and  Pieta  may  the  "  Stabat  mater  dolorosa  "  have  been  the 
type !  And  when  he  reads  their  frequent  themes  of  the 
shortness  of  life  and  the  vanity  of  the  world,  as  set  forth  in 
the  lines  of  Bernard  of  Clairvaux, 


36  New  Hymn  Books.  [Jan. 

"  Terrain  teris,  tcrram  geris, 
Et  in  terram  reverteris, 
Qui  de  terra  sumeris. 
Cerne  quid  es,  et  quid  eris  ; 
Modo  flos  es,  et  verteris 
In  favillam  cineris," 

he  feels  that,  though  he  may  translate  them  in  their  full  and 
exact  chime,  they  lose  their  peculiar  effect  in  another 
tongue ; — 

Earth  thou  wearest,  earth  thou  bearest, 
And  to  earth  thou  fast  repairest, 
Who  from  earth  wast  taken. 
What  art  thou?  and  whither  farest? 
But  a  flower,  —  and,  though  the  rarest, 
Shalt  to  dust  be  shaken. 

But  to  return  to  our  retrospect.  In  the  year  1836,  a 
Collection  of  Hymns  was  prepared  for  the  worshippers  at 
the  Warren  Street  and  Pitts  Street  Chapels,  by  Messrs. 
Barnard,  Gray  and  Weston.  It  was  modestly  offered  to 
the  public  in  a  simple  and  cheap  form,  under  the  idea  that 
it  might  prove  acceptable  in  Sunday  schools  and  some  of 
our  smaller  churches.  This  hope  was  not  disappointed,  as 
we  have  now  before  us  the  fifth  edition  of  it,  with  nearly 
fifty  Hymns  added.  It  is  exceedingly  well  adapted  to  the 
end  for  which  it  was  designed,  showing  good  judgment  and 
a  true  spirit.  With  a  similar  purpose,  in  1843,  Rev. 
Chandler  Robbins  brought  forward  his  "  Social  Hymn- 
Book,"  intended  "  for  vestry  meetings,  and  for  parishes  that 
are  unable  to  procure  more  expensive  Collections."  It 
abounds  with  devotional  feeling.  Nothing  seems  to  have 
been  admitted  into  it,  without  having  first  passed  slowly 
not  only  before  the  critical  eyes  but  over  the  heart  of  the 
compiler.  It  misses,  to  its  loss,  two  pieces  of  his  own,  that 
are  printed  in  the  "  Hymns  for  the  Sanctuary ; "  and  since 
he  has  borrowed  so  largely  from  Ancient  Hymns,  we  are  a 
little  sorry  that  he  overlooked  the  very  best  in  the  Breviary. 
It  is  adopted  in  almost  all  the  recent  publications.  Its 
closing  verse  we  cannot  refrain  from  quoting,  as  almost  a 
model  of  style  for  this  kind  of  composition  : 

"  O  righteous  Judge  !   if  thou  wilt  deign 
To  grant  us  what  we  need, 
We  pray  for  time  to  turn  again, 
And  grace  to  turn  indeed." 


1846.]  Former  Hymn  Books.  37 

The  same  year,  Dr.  Flint  of  Salem  issued  his  "Hymns 
for  the  Christian  Church  and  Home,"  in  compliance  with  a 
vote  of  the  society,  of  which  he  is  the  pastor.  They  were 
desirous  of  retaining  as  many  hymns  as  possible  of  the 
little  Collection  that  had  been  heretofore  in  use,  drawn  up 
by  Dr.  Bentley,  his  learned  predecessor.  The  facility  that 
is  thus  furnished  for  one's  task  is  not  wholly  without  its 
disadvantage ;  since,  in  seeking  to  please  the  accustomed 
ear  of  parishioners,  or  to  show  respect  for  what  has  been 
done  before  by  a  revered  hand,  one  is  tempted  to  preserve 
the  pieces  that  are  thought  worthy  of  preservation,  rather 
in  the  form  that  is  best  remembered,  than  in  that  which  is 
really  the  best.  Such  may  have  been  the  case  with  some 
of  these,  as  the  290th  and  306th.  Happily,  however,  they 
were  for  the  most  part  printed  correctly  at  first,  few  liber- 
ties having  been  taken  with  the  text.  We  think  that  Dr. 
Flint  has  executed  his  commission  well,  and  produced  what 
may  be  valued  far  beyond  the  circle  of  his  own  charge. 
Two  pieces  by  Sterling,  221  and  312,  we  have  never  seen 
anywhere  else  ;  and  we  name  them  as  representing  a  class, 
that  we  do  not  consider  it  desirable  to  multiply  ;  being 
written  in  a  hard  style,  and  without  sufficient  adaptation 
either  to  the  powers  of  a  choir  or  the  circumstances  of  an 
audience.  We  are  afraid  that  a  still  heavier  objection 
would  lie  against  one  by  Burns,  219,  where  the  penitent 
seems  to  us  to  be  rather  palliating  his  sin,  than  crying  for 
mercy.  But  we  can  sincerely  say  on  the  whole,  that  if  we 
were  among  those  who  are  to  have  the  advantage  of  sitting 
under  the  ministerial  instructions  of  Dr.  Flint,  we  should 
be  perfectly  contented  and  happy  to  carry  into  the  new 
church,  which  we  hope  will  soon  be  auspiciously  conse- 
crated, this  book  that  is  to  lead  a  part  of  its  devotions.  — 
Something  over  a  year  ago  came  out  a  "  Service  Book,  for 
the  use  of  the  Church  of  the  Disciples."  A  Collection  of 
381  Hymns  constituted  a  part  of  it,  and  an  excellent  part. 
The  compiler  enters  on  his  task  with  the  artless  confession, 
that  "  of  making  many  Hymn  Books  there  is  no  end."  He 
tells  us  that  he  has  been  guided  by  "  a  principle  of  omis- 
sion rather  than  of  selection  ; "  aiming  "  not  at  a  variety  of 
thought,  but  at  a  fulness  of  sentiment."  He  has  happily 
attained  the  object  he  sought.     He  has  edited  a  book  of  no 

vol.  xl.  —  4th  s.  vol.  v.  no.  i.  4 


38  New  Hymn  Books.  [Jan. 

common  stamp,  which  every  lover  of  ecclesiastical  poetrv 
will  find  profit  and  delight  in  reading. 

It  is  now  time  to  confine  our  attention  to  the  particular 
works  of  which  we  proposed  to  give  some  account.  The 
preliminary  remarks  that  we  have  offered,  if  rather  long  in 
comparison  with  all  the  rest  that  our  limits  will  allow  us  to 
say,  have  not,  we  hope,  been  irrelevant,  as  they  will  serve  to 
point  out  the  general  rules  by  which  our  judgment  has  been 
guided. 

The  first  on  our  list  is  that  compiled  by  Rev.  Messrs. 
Livermore,  Leonard,  Whitwell  and  Cutler,  on  behalf  of  the 
Cheshire  Pastoral  Association.  It  has  the  merit  of  great 
copiousness.  It  comprises  within  an  exceedingly  moderate 
compass  an  unusually  large  number  of  pieces,  in  the  most 
various  styles,  and  suited  to  every  subject.  It  abounds, 
more  than  any  other  with  which  we  are  acquainted,  in 
pieces  that  are  intended  to  meet  particular  occasions.  In 
these  ways  it  is  both  rich  and  cheap.  Its  materials  have 
been  gathered  together  with  the  utmost  diligence,  as  may 
be  seen  by  a  glance  at  the  catalogue  of  its  contributors. 
Every  one  may  find  his  friends  there,  good  friends  too,  and 
some  whose  names  are  not  apt  to  figure  in  such  a  connex- 
ion. We  have  been  surprised  at  the  range  that  it  has 
taken,  and  the  excellent  gleanings  it  has  contrived  to  find 
where  we  had  supposed  the  whole  harvest  to  be  over.  We 
must  acknowledge  that  we  felt  some  regret  at  missing,  in 
the  midst  of  such  abundance,  not  a  few  of  our  chief  old 
favorites.  Tate  and  Brady  are  allowed  to  appear  in  it  but 
nine  times.  If  we  were  disposed  to  find  any  fault,  it 
would  be  with  what  is  likely  to  recommend  it  to  many, 
the  modern  air  that  everywhere  surrounds  it.  Even  wrhere 
we  have  been  attracted  with  some  show  of  antiquity,  the 
promise  was  not  always  kept ;  Milton's  portion  of  "  No  war 
nor  battle's  sound  "  ceasing  entirely  with  the  first  stanza, 
and  all  the  rest  but  poorly  conforming  to  that  grand  outset. 
Still,  it  is  full  of  spirit  and  of  good  things.  It  is  destined, 
we  doubt  not,  to  a  large  share  of  popularity.  It  deserves 
to  have  it.     We  hope  to  see  this  prediction  of  ours  fulfilled. * 

Of  Mr.  Ellis's  <:  Collection  of  Psalms  and  Hymns  for  the 

*  Even  while  we  are   writing,  this  prophecy  seems  about  coming  to 

ftass.  A  new  edition,  and  that  the  fourth,  just  appears  from  the  press,  in 
arger  type  and  a  handsomer  form. 


1846.]  Ellis  s  Collection.  39 

Sanctuary  "  we  should  be  glad  to  say  more  than  the  limits 
of  these  notices  will  permit.  It  is  larger  and  sightlier  than 
that  just  spoken  of,  though  instead  of  908  hymns  it  con- 
tains but  658.  It  is  preceded  by  very  considerable  selec- 
tions from  the  Psalms,  so  arranged  as  to  be  chanted  by  the 
choir,  or  to  be  read  and  sung  responsively ;  in  which  case 
the  minister  and  people  on  one  side,  and  the  music  on  the 
other,  take  up  alternate  verses.  This  we  look  upon  as  a 
beautiful  addition,  if  it  can  be  successfully  put  in  use. 
The  compiler  has  given  us  an  account  of  the  principles  that 
guided  him,  in  a  manly  preface,  the  spirit  of  which  we 
heartily  accord  with,  though  it  puts  in  its  claim  for  a  lati- 
tude in  making  alterations,  which  we  can  with  difficulty 
admit.  Indeed,  this  latitude  has  led  to  what  we  cannot 
but  consider  a  blemish  in  his  excellent  book.  It  departs 
too  often  and  widely,  as  we  think,  from  the  original  authors. 
This  may  be  owing  chiefly  to  the  fact,  that  it  was  prepared 
to  take  the  place  of  the  Springfield  Collection,  now  out  of 
print,  in  the  Harvard  church.  It  naturally  adopted  much 
from  it.  and  as  naturally  accepted  it  in  th«  same  form  in 
which  it  found  it ;  and  that,  as  was  remarked  above,  was 
far  from  allowing  the  poet  to  speak  for  himself.  One  may 
perceive,  even  from  a  slight  examination  of  it,  that,  though 
it  has  selected  its  contents  from  the  most  various  quarters, 
it  has  drawn  from  two  main  sources  of  supply.  These  are 
the  Collection  just  named  and  that  of  Dr.  Greenwood,  who 
on  the  contrary  imposed  upon  himself  pretty  rigorously  the 
rule,  to  alter  as  little  as  possible,  and  to  have  every  hymn 
■'•'  really  the  production  of  the  individual  whose  name  is 
placed  over  it."  This  rule  was  adhered  to  in  the  Christian 
Psalter  with  a  still  more  scrupulous  tenacity,  and  it  appears 
to  us  to  be  a  just  one.  Xot  that  we  would  have  it  so  invi- 
olable as  never  to  be  broken.  Good  as  it  is,  it  may  be 
overstrained.  But  it  should  prevent  such  representations 
of  Watts  as  we  find,  for  example,  at  464.  And  now  that 
we  have  named  again  that  great  psalmist,  we  feel  obliged 
to  say  that  we  have  looked  in  vain  in  this  Collection  for 
some  of  his  verses  that  we  have  been  accustomed  to  prize 
as  among  the  best.  For  these,  and  the  like  of  them,  we 
would  gladly  give  up  such  pieces  as  177,  Bowring's,  276, 
Milmans,  533.  Montgomery's,   178,  H.  K.   White's,  and 


40  Xew  Hymn  Books.  [Jan. 

especially  491 .  Hutton's,  where  the  '-flowers  of  Lebanon 
decay  "  under  the  rebuke  of  Jehovah. 

"Which  bids  the  rocks  to  overturn.'" 

Lest  we  should  seem  to  be  in  the  vein  of  fault-finding,  we 

will  sum  up  at  once  all  we  have  to  say  of  this  kind,  and 
turn  to  the  pleasanter  part  of  our  duty.  We  are  of  opinion, 
then,  that  a  greater  share  of  attention  might  usefully  have 
been  given  to  the  question  of  fitness  for  being  sung ;  since 
many  a  beautiful  devotional  poem  that  delights  in  the 
closet,  is  wholly  unavailable  for  the  church.  We  have 
thought  also,  that  there  were  more  pieces  than  we  could 
desire  of  a  descriptive  character,  and  of  those  that  seem 
rather  to  preach  than  to  worship.  In  the  future  copies, 
which  we  hope  will  be  a  great  many,  we  would  venture  to 
suggest  that  a  tabular  index  to  the  Psalms  would  be  a  con- 
venient addition.  Meanwhile,  let  us  make  haste  to  declare 
that  there  is  no  one  of  the  books,  whose  titles  are  copied 
above,  that  we  are  ready  to  prefer  to  this.  It  contains 
about  sixty  pieces,  that  were  quite  new  to  us,  and  many  of 
them  well  worthy  to  shine  anywhere.  No  other  has  pre- 
sented Milton  to  us  so  nobly.  Take  for  instance  the  51st 
and  the  glorious  291st,  that  make  the  heart  bound  at  them. 
The  238th  also,  the  famous  "  nativity,"  we  have  here  in 
that  altered  form,  but  yet  of  truly  Miltonic  cast,  for  which 
we  presume  we  are  indebted  to  Dr.  Peabody  of  Springfield. 
We  should  like  to  dwell  longer  in  commendation,  but  are 
admonished  that  our  space  is  becoming  narrow. 

A  revised  edition  of  the  Xew  York  Hymn  Book,  with  a 
Supplement,  appears  after  an  interval  of  exactly  a  quarter 
of  a  century.  We  had  something  to  say  at  that  time  of 
what  we  considered  to  be  the  merits  of  the  first  edition,  and 
these  are  certainly  much  increased  in  the  new  one.  The 
forty  hymns  that  have  been  substituted  in  the  place  of  as 
many  taken  out,  are  improvements,  without  a  single  excep- 
tion. The  few  alterations  that  have  been  made  have  been 
very  judiciously  done,  as  we  are  glad  to  exemplify  in  the 
old  100th  psalm,  which  is  here  brought  back  to  its  primitive 
form  and  power.  One  does  not  easily  amend  the  phrase- 
ology of  Watts ;  who  deserves,  we  have  often  thought,  the 
expression  that  Homer  loves  to  employ  in  speaking  of  his 
gods  and    heroes,    calling   them  not   simply    Hercules    or 


1846.]  Briggs's  Selection.  41 

Menelaus.  but  the  force  of  Hercules  and  Menelaus.  The 
Supplement,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  forty-six 
hymns,  has  been  made  up.  according  to  our  judgment,  in 
excellent  taste.  We  ousrht  to  acknowledge,  therefore,  that 
we  have  in  this  an  admirable  volume.  At  the  same  time  it 
is  exceedingly  injured  for  the  pulpit  by  disposing  its  con- 
tents in  the  very  worst  method  that  was  ever  devised,  the 
alphabetical  one.  As  each  part  is  distributed  into  three 
divisions,  here  are  six  several  courses  of  the  alphabet, 
according  to  the  initial  letter  of  each  first  line.  We  are 
afraid  that  nothing  can  perfectlv  redeem  such  a  mistake.  We 
are  not  able  to  agree  with  our  friend,  the  compiler.  —  we 
wish  with  all  our  heart  we  could.  —  that  the  new  indexes, 
though  we  are  thankful  for  them,  can  obviate  all  the  incon- 
veniences that  arise  from  so  artificial  an  arrangement. 

Xext  in  order  comes  a  "  Selection  of  Hymns  ""  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Briggs  of  Plymouth.  He  tells  us  in  his  preface  that 
his  object  is  "  to  bring  together  the  most  fervent  expressions 
of  a  profound  spiritual  life  : "  and  he  has  planned  his 
arrangement  in  conformity  to  such  a  design,  making  it 
"  represent  as  far  as  possible  the  different  steps  in  the 
progress  of  the  spiritual  life."'  After  such  an  exposition  of 
his  views,  we  should  know  in  general  what  to  expect  ;  and 
wiien  we  find  that  74  hymns  out  of  the  601  are  from  the 
Wesleys  and  Wesleyans.  we  may  gain  some  insight  of  the 
manner  in  which  that  expectation  is  to  be  fulfilled.  We 
feel  obliged  to  him  for  introducing  to  us  so  many  spirited 
and  affecting  expressions  of  a  devout  soul,  many  of  which 
we  had  never  seen  before  ;  and  some,  for  which  we  do  not 
know  now  to  whom  we  are  obliged.  At  the  same  time  we 
must  acknowledge  that  he  seems  to  us  to  have  placed  him- 
self too  much  under  the  dominion  of  a  single  set  of  ideas. 
We  cannot  altogether  approve  the  method  that  he  has 
chosen,  for  the  very  reason  that  it  follows  those  ideas  out  so 
faithfully.  Abounding  as  his  book  does  in  spiritual  graces, 
we  doubt  whether  it  has  that  variety  which  is  wanted  to 
make  it  wear  well.  Too  great  a  portion  of  it  is  marked 
with  the  same  character.  We  want  the  relief  of  change. 
Anything  like  monotony  is  dangerous  in  a  work  that  is  to 
stand  public  use  from  week  to  week.  It  is  like  passing  from 
one  house  to  another,  and  continually  finding  almost  the 
samecompanv.  which  mav  s:row  wearisome,  however  excel- 
4* 


42  Xew  Hymn  Books.  [Jan. 

lent  it  may  be.  We  repeat  that  we  admire  the  spirit  that 
breathes  and  kindles  over  the  whole,  but  it  wants  more 
tongues  ;  it  is  not  "  many-voiced  "  enough  for  us.  Mrs. 
Hemans  and  Mr.  Keble,  and  other  favorite  authors  of  the 
editor,  though  they  are  favoriU  s  with  us  also,  appear  rather 
too  often.  We  will  only  add  that  the  singers  are  likely  to 
be  sometimes  perplexed  in  performing  their  part  of  the  duty 
that  a  new  hymn-book  brings  with  it.  They  could  scarcely 
get  along  with  the  321  st,  in  which  the  last  line  of  the  first 
verse  falls  two  syllables  short  of  the  appointed  measure.  In 
mentioning  this,  however,  we  ought  to  add,  in  justice  to  the 
writer  of  that  hymn,  that  it  appears  both  in  the  Cheshire 
Collection  and  that  of  Mr.  Ellis  not  only  without  that 
defect,  but  otherwise  greatly  improved. 

Mr.  Eliot,  of  St.  Louis  in  Missouri,  who,  though  so  far 
from  us,  has  his  praise  in  all  our  churches,  published  in 
1842  a  Manual  of  Prayer  for  public  and  private  worship, 
with  a  small  Collection  of  65  hymns  appended.  We  wel- 
come now  a  second  edition,  of  twice  the  dimensions  of  the 
first.  The  ritual  part  remains  the  same  as  before,  but  the 
number  of  hymns  is  extended  to  27*2.  And  they  are  good 
hymns,  well  and  discreetly  chosen  from  a  great  variety  of 
writers,  and  conveniently  disposed.  We  heartily  wish  that 
this  service-book  for  the  churches  may  be  introduced  into 
a  great  many  of  them,  both  in  the  West  and  the  East.  We 
are  well  aware  that  a  liturgy  has  sometimes  been  jocosely 
called  a  lethargy ;  and  we  have  been  told  by  those  with 
whom  we  are  most  apt  to  agree  in  opinion,  that  the  form  of 
prayer  kills  the  preaching.  We  admit  that  there  is  a  dan- 
ger here,  but  we  deny  that  there  is  a  doom.  We  are  sure 
that  it  has  not  killed  or  even  hurt  his  preaching,  and  we 
give  a  welcome  to  his  book.  Its  liturgy,  —  and  we  rather 
like  one,  —  cannot  but  be  useful  in  the  cause  of  religion, 
wherever  it  is  read.  Its  sacred  poetry  is  suited  to  lift  up 
the  heart  with  the  voice,  wherever  sung.  By  combining 
the  two  in  one  volume,  it  presents  together  all  that  is 
necessary  for  the  comely  and  effective  conducting  both  of 
general  and  family  worship.  In  addition  to  the  whole,  are 
Selections  from  the  Psalms  of  David,  arranged  for  responses 
or  chanting.  These  are  precisely  the  same  that  we  have 
spoken  of  before  in  connexion  with  the  "  Hymns  for  the 
Sanctuary." 


1846.]  Orthodox  Hymn  Books.  43 

We  come  now  to  three  books,  in  which  we  may  be 
supposed  to  take  less  interest.  They  belong  to  denomina- 
tions, that  are  kindred  to  each  other,  but  separate  from  us. 
As  we  open  them,  we  cannot  but  be  struck  with  the  differ- 
ent impression  that  is  made  upon  us.  The  air  about  us 
seems  to  grow  heavy,  and  we  walk  in  a  light  that  has 
changed  color  and  is  suffering  something  like  an  eclipse. 
Nothing  convinces  us  more  than  this  contrast  does  of  the 
diversity,  in  taste  as  well  as  opinion,  between  Christian 
truth  as  we  receive  it,  and  as  it  is  embraced  by  our  breth- 
ren who  are  called  orthodox.  These  three  works  resemble 
each  other  closely  in  several  respects.  They  are  all  inor- 
dinately large.  The  Baptist  Collection,  the  "  Psalmist," 
numbers  1180  pieces,  besides  the  doxologies,  and  52  more 
for  chanting.  We  cannot  count  them  so  easily  in  the  other 
two,  as  they  do  not  run  continuously,  but  are  distinguished 
into  psalms  and  hymns.  The  books,  however,  are  at  least 
as  thick,  one  containing  652,  and  the  other  upwards  of  700 
closely  printed  pages.  They  all  have  this  feature  in  com- 
mon, that  they  are  neither  of  them  the  achievement  of  a  single 
hand,  nor  do  they  come  before  the  world  simply  on  their  own 
responsibility.  One  owes  itself  to  a  "  Committee  of  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S."; 
another  to  the  "  General  Association  of  Connecticut "  ;  and 
the  other,  though  independently  prepared  by  Rev.  Messrs. 
Stow  and  Smith,  appears  under  the  sanction  of  the  "  Board 
of  Directors  of  the  American  Baptist  Publication  and  Sunday 
School  Society."  They  all  present  themselves,  therefore, 
with  some  authority.  Nine  Baptist  clergymen,  from  South 
Carolina,  Alabama,  Tennessee,  Ohio,  Virginia,  Maryland, 
Pennsylvania  and  New  York,  have  examined  and  recom- 
mended the  "  Psalmist,"  and  a  fac-simile  of  their  signatures 
is  attached  to  their  certificate.  Five  distinguished  names 
from  our  sister  State  are  affixed  in  like  form  to  the  preface 
of  the  "  General  Association."  The  "  Church  Psalmist,"  of 
which  this  is  the  fifth  edition,  shows  no  less  than  fifteen 
names,  some  of  them  quite  celebrated,  appended  to  its  "  Ad- 
vertisement." These,  however,  are  but  accidents,  though 
accidents  that  have  a  certain  alliance  together ;  for  books 
could  hardly  fail  to  be  large,  that  were  to  meet  the  wishes, 
and  suggestions  too,  of  so  great  a  number  of  persons. 
They  are  alike,  however,  in  other  ways.     They  all  assign  a 


44  -Vw  Hymn  Books.  [Jan. 

particular  department  for  the  worship  of  "  the  Trinity," 
which  is  certainly  a  doctrine  of  inference  merely  where  it  is 
acknowledged  to  be  true,  and  which  the  highest  orthodoxy, 
that  can  be  satisfied  with  the  Scriptures,  does  not  pretend 
to  find  under  that  generic  title.  They  all  adopt  a  style  of 
expression  concerning  sacrifice  and  atonement,  which, 
though  much  softened  from  what  it  was,  has  still  a  repulsive 
sound  to  our  ears.  That  offensive  hymn  of  Cowper,  for 
instance,  beginning, 

"There  is  a  fountain  fill'd  with  blood, 
Drawn  from  Immanuel's  veins," 

is  not  wanting  in  either  of  them.  They  all  allow  them- 
selves in  representations  of  Providence  and  man  that  are 
little  consistent  with  our  habits  of  thought.  And  yet  it  has 
been  very  gratifying  to  see  what  improvement  they  have 
made  in  these  respects  beyond  the  ancient  times.  We  find 
nothing  near  so  harsh  as  we  had  to  bear  formerly.  Not 
one  of  these  compilations  brings  before  the  present  public 
those  enormities  of  Watts,  that  used  to  harrow  former 
generations.  Not  one  ventures  to  touch  the  terrible  hymn 
that  begins, 

"  My  thoughts  on  awful  subjects  roll, 
Damnation  and  the  dead." 

Not  one  retains  any  portion  of  that,  of  which  the  first 
verse  is, 

"  Well,  the  Redeemer's  gone 
T'  appear  before  our  God, 
To  sprinkle  o'er  the  flaming  throne 
With  his  atoning  blood." 

Not  one,  in  describing  the  divine  judgments,  has  anything 
the  least  resembling  the  ferocious  hymn,  the  44th  of  the  2d 
book,  which  we  dare  do  no  more  than  thus  point  at.    Even, 

"  Blood  has  a  voice  to  pierce  the  skies," 

is  nowhere  found,  but  has  given  place  to  milder  expositions, 
even  if  it  be  of  the  same  doctrine.  We  rejoice  to  pay  this 
just  commendation.  We  rejoice  still  more,  that  in  paying  it 
we  recognize  the  progress  that  is  making  in  a  true  religious 
refinement  in  all  quarters.  We  ascribe  this  progress  in  a 
great  degree  to  the  theological  institutions  and  the  means 
of  general  instruction,  which  are  everywhere  encouraged. 


1846.]  "  Hymns  and  Anthems."  45 

Learning  is  honored  in  sects  that  once  strove  to  be  inde- 
pendent of  it.  Sacred  studies  are  pursued  in  companion- 
ship, and  with  the  lights  of  the  world  around  them,  and  so 
lose  the  scholasticism  of  the  cloister.  They  mingle  with 
the  literature  of  the  time,  and  the  science  that  is  above  the 
prejudice  or  fashions  of  any  time  ;  with  the  philosophy  of 
beauty,  and  the  reverence  of  art ;  and  so  shoot  out  into  a 
free  and  graceful  culture.  We  do  not  feel  called  upon  to 
express  any  opinion  as  to  the  relative  merits  of  these  three 
books.  It  might  not  seem  sufficiently  modest ;  and  more 
than  that,  it  would  not  be  very  easy.  We  are  persuaded, 
that  they  are  all  a  great  deal  better  than  what  has  been  dis- 
placed to  make  room  for  them.  We  have  no  doubt  that 
they  will  satisfy  entirely  the  wants  of  the  congregations, 
for  which  they  have  severally  been  prepared.  The  Baptist 
Collection  enjoys  an  advantage  in  having  one  of  its  com- 
pilers himself  a  poet,  who  is  held  in  estimation  beyond  the 
borders  of  his  own  sect.  No  less  than  nine  of  his  hymns 
have  been  introduced  into  the  full  ranks  of  the  Committee 
of  the  Cheshire  Pastoral  Association.  We  may  add,  that  it 
has  gathered  its  ingredients  with  at  least  as  liberal  a  search 
and  culling  as  its  companions.  We  have  even  thought 
that  it  owed  something  to  the  influences  of  the  neighbor- 
hood in  which  it  was  produced. 

The  little  book  called  "  Hymns  and  Anthems  "  stands  in 
strange  contrast  with  its  somewhat  clumsy  associates  just 
noticed.  It  is  indeed  a  little  one,  containing  but  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  pieces,  and  those  for  the  most  part  of  extreme 
brevity,  some  of  them  literally  but  three  or  four  lines  long. 
It  is  delicately  printed  too,  after  the  newest  English  fashion. 
It  may  be  thought  scarcely  to  come  within  the  fair  scope  of 
our  present  article,  being  a  foreigner  and  four  years  old. 
But  it  has  some  interest  for  us,  as  having  been  made  for  the 
chapel  of  the  celebrated  W.  J.  Fox  of  London  ;  and  besides 
this,  it  possesses  a  character  that  is  peculiarly  its  own.  It 
departs  widely  from  all  that  we  have  been  accustomed  to 
consider  as  the  proprieties  of  a  hymn-book.  It  is  com- 
posed of  rhymes,  blank  verse,  and  plain  prose.  Among  its 
contributors  we  find  Goethe  and  the  Prophet  Habakkuk, 
St.  Gregory  and  Lord  Morpeth,  St.  John  and  Lord  Byron, 
King  David  and  Percy  B.  Shelley.  Lines  from  Shakspeare's 
Tempest  are  found  on  the  same  page  with  lines  from  Alfred 


46  ^Seiv  Hymn  Books.  [Jan. 

Tennyson.  The  Roman  Breviary  and  Coleridge's  Ancient 
Mariner  alike  bring  something  to  its  net.  Some  of  our 
own  poets  are  there,  —  Bryant,  Longfellow,  Pierpont,  Bul- 
finch  and  W.  B.  O.  Peabody.  It  is  certainly  none  the 
worse,  but  all  the  better  for  these.  We  do  not  know  that 
we  can  say  so  much  for  123,  which  begins: 

"  Britain's  first  poet, 
Famous  old  Chaucer, 
Swan-like  in  dying 

Sung  his  last  song, 
When  at  his  heart-strings 

Death's  hand  was  strong." 

With  all  this,  it  is  not  so  altogether  an  oddity  as  our 
readers  might  fancy  from  our  description.  We  have  read 
in  it  some  charming  things,  that  we  would  rather  see  here 
than  not  see  at  all.  Several  of  these  gems  are  by  Mr.  Fox 
himself,  Robert  Nicoll,  Ebenezer  Elliot  and  Miss  Sarah  F. 
Adams.  The  choicest  of  them  may  be  found  set  among 
the  brilliants,  or  rather  the  pearls,  of  the  "  Disciples'  Hymn 
Book,"  to  which  we  referred  just  now.  What  can  be  finer 
in  its  kind  than  the  concluding  piece,  by  the  minister  of 
Finsbury  Chapel  ? 

"  Call  them  from  the  dead 
For  our  eyes  to  see?  " 

In  fact,  we  should  love  it  exceedingly,  if  it  were  only 
called  Sacred  Jewelry,  and  kept  upon  the  parlor  table.  As 
it  is,  we  fear  that  it  indicates  an  apostasy,  more  serious 
than  its  own,  from  ancient  ideas  and  the  consecrated  forms 
of  worship.  It  is  divided  into  two  "  books,"  for  what 
reason  we  know  not,  since  the  pieces  are  numbered  in 
sequence,  and  flow  on  without  much  attempt  at  order. 
We  surmise,  however,  as  the  cause,  that  when  the  work 
was  printed,  only  the  first  half  of  it  had  been  furnished  with 
music ;  for  there  was  an  obvious  necessity  in  most  cases  to 
have  the  tunes  made  expressly  for  the  words.  This  has 
been  done  so  far  as  the  first  book  goes,  and  duly  recorded 
in  the  index.  But  when  we  come  to  the  second,  we  are 
told  that  the  musical  arrangements  and  adaptations  for  it 
were  not  quite  completed.  From  all  this  it  is  plain,  that  a 
chief  part  of  the  design  has  been,  to  produce  striking 
effects  from  the  orchestra.     We  need  not  say  what  strong 


1846.]  Duty  of  American   Women.  47 

objections,  in  our  judgment,  lie  against  the  introduction  of 
such  artistical  refinements  into  religious  services.  There  is 
no  temptation  in  our  country,  certainly  at  present,  to  imi- 
tate so  ambitious  an  example.  But  we  take  this  opportu- 
nity to  utter  our  protest  against  any  innovations,  that  would 
tend  to  unchurch  the  sanctuary  ;  that  would  turn  the  house 
of  God  either  into  an  oratorical  theatre  or  a  concert-room. 

N.  L.  F. 


Art.  IV.  —  DUTY  OF  A3IERICAN  WOMEN.* 

The  object  of  this  appeal  is  to  rouse  American  women 
on  a  subject  of  great  importance,  and  particularly  to  draw 
their  attention  to  an  attempt  which  many  ladies  of  different 
states  and  denominations  are  now  making,  "  to  promote 
popular  education  by  the  agency  of  American  women."  It 
is  intended  so  to  conduct  this  enterprise,  that  "  every 
woman,  of  whatever  character  or  standing,  may  feel  an 
interest  in  it,  and  do  something  to  sustain  it,"  while  "  no 
one  is  made  prominent."  A  Committee  of  gentlemen  of 
six  different  religious  denominations  have  consented  to  act 
for  those  who  originated  the  plan,  and  among  others,  they 
recommend  the  immediate  and  universal  circulation  of  this 
appeal,  as  one  of  the  best  preliminary  measures. 

The  work  itself,  which  we  are  thus  called  upon  to  bring- 
under  the  notice  of  as  many  readers  as  possible,  seems  to 
us  written  with  a  high  object,  considerable  ability,  and  admi- 
rable adaptation  to  its  purpose.  We  think  those  who  cry  out, 
<  what !  is  there  not  enough  done  yet  for  popular  education  ; 
is  not  this  country  remarkable  for  the  opportunities  of 
instruction  laid  before  all  classes  ?  '  will  be  silenced,  when 
they  read  the  startling  facts  presented  in  this  little  book. 
The  statistical  details  form  a  solid  foundation  on  which  an 
appeal  to  the  good  sense  of  the  reader  rests  firmly  ;  and  we 
think  none  who  read  the  address  candidly,  can  doubt  that 
the  danger  is  as  great,  the  emergency  as  pressing,  and  the 
duty  of  prompt  effort  as  imperative,  as  they  are  represented. 

*    The     Duty   of    American    Women    to    their    Country.     New    York  : 
Harper  &  Brothers.     1S45.     18mo.     pp.  164. 


48  Duty  of  American  Women.  [Jan. 

Neither  do  we  think  the  plan  proposed  can  seem  chimerical 
to  any  fair-minded  reader,  unprejudiced  against  philanthro- 
pic schemes  in  general,  and  female  projects  in  particular. 

We  have  heard  that  a  critic,  in  speaking  of  this  book, 
remarked,  "  I  wish  women  would  let  the  French  Revolution 
alone ;  they  are  not  competent  to  meddle  with  such  a 
mighty  theme."  The  author  of  the  appeal  is  probably  quite 
aware,  that  a  profound  knowledge  of  history  and  of  human 
nature  is  essential  to  any  one  who  would  go  deeply  into 
the  "  mighty  theme  ; "  that  no  single  cause  brought  the 
curse  of  the  Reign  of  Terror  upon  the  fair  land  of  France, 
and  that  it  would  be  unwise  and  unfair  to  point  out  any 
solitary  source  of  such  a  deluge  of  evil,  as  implying  that 
none  others  existed.  Miss  Beecher,  who  is  known  as  the 
author,  does  not  do  this,  nor  attempt  to  grasp  the  whole 
subject.  We  cannot  see  why  one  indubitable  cause  of  that 
great  historical  event  may  not  be  treated  of,  and  the  event 
itself  used  as  an  illustration  of  consequences,  by  a  female 
pen,  if  the  connection  be  distinctly  shown.  It  does  not 
seem  to  us  that  she  has  gone  either  beyond  her  province  oi- 
lier ability.  She  has  not  undertaken  to  give  us  a  history  of 
the  reign  of  terror,  with  all  that  introduced  or  terminated 
it,  but  in  a  concise  and  striking  sketch  shows  that  "a 
people  without  education  have  not  intelligence  enough  to 
know  what  measures  will  secure  safety  and  prosperity,  nor 
virtue  enough  to  pursue  even  what  they  know  to  be  right ; 
so  that,  when  possessed  of  power,  they  will  adopt  ruinous 
measures,  be  excited  by  base  passions,  and  be  governed  by 
wicked  and  cruel  men."  She  employs  the  French  Revolu- 
tion simply  as  an  illustration  of  this  truth.  Could  she  have 
found  a  fairer  or  a  stronger  one  ?  Has  she  not  a  right  to 
use  the  warning  it  conveys  ? 

The  next  point  is,  that  our  republic,  like  the  French,  is 
actually  in  danger  from  a  people  without  sufficient  intelli- 
gence and  virtue.  She  exposes  the  hollowness  of  our  boast- 
ings on  this  very  subject  of  general  education.  She  is 
willing  to  do  justice  to  the  past,  for  she  opens  her  state- 
ments thus :  — 

"  What  then,  has  saved  our  country  from  those  wide  sweep- 
ing horrors,  that  desolated  France?  Why  is  it  that  in  the  ex- 
citements of  embargos,  and  banks,  and  slavery,  and  abolition, 
and  foreign  immigration,  the  besom  of  destruction  has  not  swept 


1846.]  New  Jail  in  Boston.  137 

worthy  of  this  indulgence  and  confidence.  Such  a  modifi- 
cation was  contemplated  and  recommended  by  Mr.  Livings- 
ton, and  it  would  seem  to  find  favor  with  Von  Raumer  in 
his  recent  work  on  America.  This  privilege  can  only  be 
imparted  to  those  who  have  shown  themselves  so  exemplary 
in  character  and  conduct,  that  their  society  will  cease  to  be 
contaminating.  But  it  remains  to  be  seen,  whether  there 
is  any  subtle  alchemy,  by  which  their  purity  may  be 
determined,  so  as  to  justify  a  departure  from  the  general 
rule  of  separation. 

Finally,  we  would  commend  this  subject  to  the  attention 
of  all.  In  the  language  of  Sir  Michael  Foster,  a  judge  of 
eminence,  "  No  rank  or  condition  of  life,  no  uprightness  of 
heart,  no  prudence  or  circumspection  of  conduct,  should 
teach  any  man  to  conclude  that  he  may  not  one  day  be 
deeply  interested  in  these  researches."  Thus  there  are 
considerations  of  self-interest,  which  may  move  those  who 
do  not  incline  to  labor  for  others,  except  for  some  ultimate 
advantage  to  themselves.  But  all  who  confess  a  true 
benevolence,  and  a  just  appreciation  of  the  duties  of  the 
State,  will  join  in  efforts  for  the  benefit  of  the  poor  prison- 
er, deriving  from  his  abject  condition  new  motives  to 
action,  that  it  may  be  true  of  the  State,  as  of  law,  that  "  the 
very  least  feels  its  care,  as  the  greatest  is  not  exempt  from 
its  power."  In  the  progress  of  an  enlightened  Prison 
Discipline,  it  may  be  hoped,  that  our  Penitentiaries  will 
become  in  reality,  if  not  in  name,  Houses  of  Reforma- 
tion, and  that  the  convicts  will  be  treated  with  a  scrupulous 
and  extreme  regard,  alike  to  their  physical,  moral  and 
intellectual  well-being,  to  the  end,  that  when  they  are 
allowed  again  to  mingle  with  society,  they  may  feel  the 
precious  sympathy  with  virtue  and  the  detestation  of  vice, 
and  that,  though  sadder,  they  may  be  better  men. 

In  the  promotion  of  this  cause,  the  city  of  Boston  at 
this  moment  occupies  a  position  of  signal  advantage.  It 
has  determined  to  erect  a  new  County  Jail,  the  plans  of 
which  are  still  under  consideration.  It  is  easy  to  perceive 
that  the  plan  which  it  shall  adopt,  and  the  system  of 
discipline  which  it  shall  recognise,  will  become  an  example 
throughout  the  country.  We  trust  that  no  narrow  preju- 
dice, and  no  unworthy  economy  will  prevent  the  example 
from  being  such  as  becomes  a  city,  of  the  wealth,  refinement 
12* 


138  Note  to  Art.  IV.  [Jan. 

and  humanity  of  Boston.  It  is  a  common  boast,  that  her 
schools  and  various  institutions  of  beneficence  are  the  best 
in  the  world.  Let  the  prison  about  to  be  erected  share 
this  boast.  Let  it  be  the  best  in  the  world.  Let  it  be  a 
model  prison,  not  only  to  our  own  country,  but  to  other 
countries.  The  rule  of  separation,  which  we  have  consid- 
ered of  such  importance  among  the  ripe  convicts  in  the 
Penitentiary,  will  be  of  greater  necessity  still  in  a  prison 
which  will  receive,  before  their  trial,  both  the  innocent  and 
the  guilty.  Each  prisoner,  from  the  first  moment  he  is 
touched  by  the  hand  of  the  law,  should  be  cut  off  from  all 
association,  whether  by  word  or  sight,  with  his  fellow- 
prisoners.  The  State,  mindful  of  his  weakness,  as  his 
temporary  guardian,  owes  him  this  protection  against 
temptation,  and  this  means  of  reformation. 

The  absolute  separation  of  all  prisoners,  so  that  they 
can  neither  see,  hear  nor  touch  each  other,  is  the  pole-star 
of  Prison  Discipline.  It  is  the  Alpha,  or  beginning,  as  the 
reformation  of  the  offender  is  the  Omega,  or  the  end.  It 
is  this  principle,  when  properly  administered,  which  irradi- 
ates with  heavenly  light  even  the  darkness  of  the  dungeon, 
driving  far  away  the  intrusive  legion  of  unclean  thoughts, 
and  introducing  in  their  vacant  place  the  purity  of  religion, 
the  teachings  of  virtue,  the  solace  of  society,  and  the  com- 
fort of  hope.  In  this  spirit  let  us  build  our  prisons.  The 
jail  shall  no  longer  be  a  charnel-house  of  living  men  ;  the 
cell  shall  cease  to  be  the  tomb,  wherein  is  buried,  what  is 
more  precious  than  the  body,  a  human  soul.  From  their 
iron  gates  let  us  erase  that  doom  of  despair, 

Leave  all  hope  behind,  who  enter  here ; 

and  inscribe  other  words  of  gentleness,  of  encouragement, 
of  hope.  c.  s. 


NOTE  TO  ARTICLE  IV. 

Since  this  article  was  printed,  and  just  as  our  number 
was  closing,  another  book  has  been  announced  as  in  the 
press,  which  would  have  come  within  the  range  of  our 
remarks.     It  is  called  the  "  Service  Book  for  the  Church  of 


1846.]  Note.  139 

the  Saviour  ;  with  a  Collection  of  Psalms  and  Hymns."  A 
particular  notice  of  it  would  further  illustrate  some  of  the 
points,  on  which  we  have  been  led  to  speak.  But  for  this 
we  have  no  room.  Its  ritual  part  contains  greyer  variety 
than  we  have  seen  in  any  preceding  work  of  the  kind. 
There  are  fifteen  short  Services  for  morning  or  evening 
worship ;  and  to  the  Selections  from  the  Psalms  are  added 
Selections  from  other  portions  of  the  Scriptures.  These 
last  are  gathered  as  they  could  be  found  suitable,  without 
reference  to  their  original  connexions,  and  arranged  so  as 
to  be  read  responsively.  An  increasing  tendency  thus 
seems  to  be  shown  in  our  denomination  towards  written 
forms  of  conducting  the  devotions  of  the  church.  The 
Hymns  are  but  another  edition  of  Dr.  Greenwood's,  with  a 
supplement  of  116  new  pieces.  We  are  not  sure  that  the 
greater  part  of  these  additional  hymns  would  have  been  our 
own  choice ;  but  that  is  a  matter,  on  which  we  do  not  feel 
ourselves  called  to  enlarge.  The  compiler  is  Rev.  R.  C. 
Waterston,  pastor  of  the  "  Church  of  the  Saviour,"  whose 
name  will  go  far  to  recommend  his  preferences.  We 
heartily  wish,  that  the  church  which  is  now  building  for  the 
use  of  his  society,  and  into  which  this  Collection  is  to  be 
introduced,  may  be  carried  up  strong  and  beautiful  to  its 
top-stone,  and  entered  prosperously,  and  consecrated  to  a 
long  blessing,  in  due  time. 

May  we  be  allowed,  in  closing,  to  say  a  single  word  of  a 
lighter  character  ?  We  have  spoken  of  this  church  as  now 
"  building."  We  do  not  say,  that  it  is  "  in  course  of  con- 
struction," or  "  in  progress  of  erection,"  or  "  in  process  of 
completion,"  or  "  being  built."  This  is  because  we  are 
content  with  our  paternal  English  tongue.  If  any  should 
ask  us  what  it  is  building,  we  shall,  like  Queen  Elizabeth 
on  another  occasion,  "  leave  them  answerless."         n.  l.  f. 


140  Notices  of  Recent  Publications.  [Jan. 

NOTICES   OF   RECENT  PUBLICATIONS. 

Introducto^  Lectures  on  Modern  History,  delivered  in  the  Lent 

Term,     1842 ;     with    the   Inaugural    Lecture,    delivered   in 

December,    1841.      By    Thomas    Arnold,    D.    D.,    Regius 

Professor  of  Modern  History  in  the  University  of  Oxford,  and 

Head   Master  of  Rugby   School.     Edited   from  the   Second 

London  Edition,  with  a  Preface  and  Notes,  by  Henry  Reed, 

A.   M.,  Professor  of  English  Literature    in    the    University 

of  Pennsylvania.     New  York.     1845.     12mo.     pp.428. 

Dr.  Arnold's  reputation  as  a  classical  scholar  was  established 

in  an  eminent  degree  by  his  edition  of  Thucydides,  accompanied 

by  critical  notes  and  disquisitions  in  the  English  language;  and 

this  reputation  has  been  confirmed  and  enlarged  by  that  portion 

of  his  "  History  of  Rome,"  which  he  lived  to  complete.     These 

writings,   together  with   those   which  have  appeared  since  his 

death,   exhibit  proofs   not    only  of  remarkable   scholarship    in 

ancient    learning,   but    of  a   mind   richly   stored   with   various 

knowledge,  and  endowed  with  a  combination  of  rare  and  high 

qualities. 

The  volume  before  us  consists  of  eight  Lectures  intro- 
ductory to  an  extended  course  which  he  proposed  to  deliver 
on  Modern  History.  The  author  defines  history  to  be  "  the 
biography  of  a  society."  He  adds,  "  it  does  not  appear  to 
me  to  be  history  at  all,  but  simply  biography,  unless  it  finds 
in  the  persons  who  are  its  subject  something  of  a  common 
purpose,  the  accomplishment  of  which  is  the  object  of  their 
life.  History  is  to  the  common  life  of  many,  what  biogra- 
phy is  to  the  life  of  an  individual."  Upon  this  idea  he  builds 
the  scheme  of  his  lectures,  and  unfolds  the  relations  and  traces 
the  progress  of  society  by  examples,  drawn  from  the  conduct  of 
men  as  marked  by  the  principles  of  human  nature,  and  exhibited 
under  the  various  forms  of  political  and  social  bodies.  This  is 
done  in  a  manner  perfectly  simple  and  direct,  without  any  parade 
of  novel  theories,  or  any  of  those  vagaries  of  abstraction  and 
speculation,  which,  by  a  false  use  of  language,  have  been  called 
the  philosophy  of  history.  With  a  lively  imagination,  and  quick 
powers  of  thought,  Dr.  Arnold's  mind  was  eminently  practical ; 
his  style  is  flowing,  animated,  and  energetic,  sometimes  ornate, 
always  perspicuous ;  his  illustrations  are  numerous  and  well 
applied.  His  remarks  on  the  methods  of  studying  history,  the 
knowledge  requisite  for  that  study,  and  the  objects  to  be  attained 
by  it,  are  peculiarly  interesting  and  valuable.  By  way  of 
explaining  his  views,  he  touches  at  considerable  length  on 
some   of  the  prominent  events  of  modern  European  history ; 


Gay  lord  Bros. 

Makers 
Svracuse,  N.  N 
PAT.  JAN.  21,  1908 


; 


